Through the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons,, the federal government revealed that it would soon swoop on local fabricators of arms and ammunition towards controlling illicit arms in circulation in the country.
The South West zonal coordinator of the centre, Sola Akinlade, while addressing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital on Tuesday, said the government was worried about the activities of these local manufacturers of weapons amidst the growing insecurity in the nation.
He explained that the mandate of the centre established in 2021 under the office of the National Security Adviser by former president Muhammadu Buhari was to ensure the collection of illicit and illegal arms from circulation, adding that they remained the only body saddled with the responsibility.
The coordinator called on the public to be mindful of some organizations moving around the country and claiming to be collecting illegal arms, adding that they would soon be arrested and prosecuted.
According to him, “The centre remains the only government-sanctioned body charged with the responsibility to checkmate the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in Nigeria, and it is crucial to note that any infringement on the duties will attract legal sanctions.
“ Members of the public are therefore cautioned to be wary of these illegal organisations who are already defrauding unsuspecting youths by asking them to pay money for an offer of employment.”
“ The centre has six geo-political offices working in collaboration with the fifteen arm-bearing agencies by collating and facilitating the destruction of illicit weapons seized by these agencies.
“ We are aware of the activities of local fabricators of these weapons in the country, and we are swooping on them soon because we know most of the weapons collected are locally made for the criminal elements.”
He disclosed that recent engagement with stakeholders in the Southwest has been successful and resulted in the movement and destruction of seized small arms and light weapons.
Akinlade solicited the support of the public by providing relevant and timely information to the centre in a bid to reduce the menace of the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in the southwest zone and the country.
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